Inquest to be held this month into the death of man killed by police in northern Ont.
A formal inquest will be held into the death of John-Paul George, who was shot and killed in 2020 in New Liskeard.
Dr. Harry Voogjarv, regional supervising coroner for the North Region, announced the inquest will be held May 27 beginning at 9 a.m.
George, 42, died in hospital on April 9, 2020, after he was shot five times following an interaction in New Liskeard with the Ontario Provincial Police.
An inquest into his death is mandatory under the Coroners Act. The inquest is expected to last five days and hear from around 10 witnesses.
“The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. George’s death,” the Ministry of the Solicitor General announced in a news release.
“The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.”
An investigation by the SIU cleared police of wrongdoing.
The investigation found that three officers responding to a report of a break-in were told by the occupant she believed someone was still inside her home.
Police saw a man leaving the residence carrying what appeared to be a handgun.
“He yelled obscenities at (police), kicked the gate open and began to make his way down the stairs,” the SIU report said.
“In his right hand was what appeared to be a handgun.”
He was ordered to drop the gun, but instead he kept walking down the stairs, pointing the plastic gun at police.
“As the complainant came off the stairs and continued to within a couple of metres of (police), each officer fired his weapon … four and two times, respectively,” the SIU report said.
He was struck five times, including three times in the torso, and died later in hospital, the SIU said. Police fired in response to an imminent threat, the report concluded, and waited until the man was just a few metres away before firing.
The May 27 inquest will be conducted by video conference. Members of the public who wish to view the proceedings can do so live by clicking here.
For more information about inquests, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
Unknown Newfoundland soldier from the First World War heads back home from France after 100 years
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
'Somebody's got to pay' for air travel: WestJet makes pitch to Ottawa
WestJet is asking the federal government to put measures in place to lower ticket costs for travellers, but questions remain on who would foot the bill.
Rapper Sean Kingston's home raided by SWAT; mother arrested on fraud and theft charges
A SWAT team raided rapper Sean Kingston's rented South Florida mansion on Thursday and arrested his mother on fraud and theft charges that an attorney says stem partly from the installation of a massive TV at the home.